LNG Facts

LNG stands for Liquefied Natural Gas. LNG is natural gas that is cooled at atmospheric pressure about -160° C, to become liquid. LNG is not pressurized, is odorless, nontoxic and not corrosive, it’s just cold. LNG is only flammable after it evaporates as natural gas, comes in contact with an ignition source and the amount of natural gas in the air is between 5 and 15 percent.

What is LNG?

Liquefied Natural Gas – or LNG – is a clear, odourless liquid produced by cooling natural gas to minus 160° C. In this liquid state, the volume of LNG is about 600 times less than that of natural gas. It can therefore be stored and transported very efficiently. If gas needs to be carried over long distances, LNG is a particularly good alternative to gas transport by pipeline.

Where does LNG come from?

Most LNG comes from areas where large volumes of natural gas have been discovered such as North Africa, the Middle East and the West Indies. Countries that produce LNG include Trinidad, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and USA.

What is the difference between LNG and LPG?

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and LNG are often confused with each other. LPG consists chiefly of propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10), and is used mainly in domestic and commercial applications (such as fuel for cars). LPG is liquefied by holding it under high pressure. LNG, by contrast, is a liquid at atmospheric pressure but at a very low temperature (approx. – 160° C). LPG’s specific gravity is also totally different from LNG’s: LPG’s components are heavier than air and the gas does not disperse if it escapes. LNG (natural gas), by contrast, is lighter than air and disperses and rarefies very quickly into a mixture that is no longer flammable. The storage of LPG is at a high pressure, unlike the storage of LNG which is at low temperature, and thus requires the use of very different equipment (other material properties, thicknesses, insulation) and standards.

What happens at an LNG receiving terminal?

LNG arrives at the terminal by ship, it is unloaded and stored in tanks. Then it can be distributed further by tank trucks or bunker barges respectively filling stations (for filling LNG trucks) or the bunkering of ships. Or it can be warmed (or regasified) and then delivered to the gas transport network. At this point, its use is identical to that of conventional natural gas.

How will the LNG be stored?

The LNG will be stored in specially designed full containment tank. A full containment tank consists of a metal inner tank and a concrete outer tank. Thermal insulation between the steel inner tank and the concrete outer tank will limit the evaporation of LNG to about 0.07% of the tank’s content per day.

Where will the LNG be sent to?

The gas that is regasified from the LNG will be delivered to the gas transport network and supplied to both domestic and industrial customers.

What is the environmental impact of LNG?

LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is a cleaner fuel in comparison to, for example, diesel and fuel oil. In addition to that, biogas can be a component to make LNG. LNG-driven engines produce less noise and have lower emissions of particular matter (PM), NOx and CO2. LNG is already being used for transport, shipping and industrial use.

From the moment the LNG is regasified, the environmental impact is identical to that of natural gas (e.g. fewer CO2 emissions on combustion in comparison with coal). The energy needed for the regasification process can be produced by using some of the gas itself or favourably by using surplus heat from surrounding industries. If there is direct environmental exposure, for example through leakage, LNG causes less damage than an oil spill since it will immediately gasify and disperse.